IRE-W vs SA-W | 3rd ODI | Match Preview | SPOTLIGHT: Andrie Steyn

The opening batter has an all-important responsibility to lead from the front and provide a stable platform for the team. One such fine player who has done well for the Proteas women’s team is Andrie Steyn.

Andrie made her international debut against Ireland in 2014. Soon, she was also handed an ODI cap against Sri Lanka in the same year. After that, however, the 25-year-old was dropped and made a comeback in 2016. 

The knocks of 43, 68, and 66 in the 2016/17 season kept her in the Playing XI for most international matches. However, Andrie’s first and only ODI century came against the Ireland team in June 2017. 

After an average performance in the 2019 international season, she was dropped from the Playing XI. As a result, she could not get any opportunity in the 2020 bilateral series against England. 

Due to her experience and track record, the talented batter was chosen as the leader of the South African Emerging team in 2021. 

In February 2022, she was called as a replacement player in the last fixture of the 5-match series against West Indies and made an immediate impact with the contribution of 52. Andrei’s knock paved the way for the team to secure a 2-1 victory in the 4-match ODI series. 

After missing the 2022 edition of the Women’s ODI World Cup due to an ankle injury, Andrie made a comeback to the Proteas side for the Ireland series. 

In the first two ODIs, she has returned with knocks of 21* and 84* and helped the South Africa team to chase down the totals and win the series as well. 

It will be interesting to see if Andrie can continue the same form in the 3rd ODI against Ireland and help South Africa to complete a whitewash on June 17 at Castle Avenue, Dublin. 

Squads

South Africa: Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Trisha Chetty, Nadine de Klerk, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus (captain), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Raisibe Ntozakhe, Tumi Sekhukhune, Andrie Steyn, Chloe Tryon, Delmi Tucker, Laura Wolvaardt

Ireland: Gaby Lewis (captain), Alana Dalzell, Rachel Delaney, Georgina Dempsey, Sarah Forbes, Shauna Kavanagh, Arlene Kelly, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Kate McEvoy, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Celeste Raack, Mary Waldron